It couldn’t have been any closer.
Temperatures at the Region of Waterloo International Airport reached a high of -0.1 C on Tuesday, according to Environment Canada – very nearly putting an end to the 44 straight days of below-freezing temperatures experienced in Waterloo Region.
While long-range forecasts show a return to above-zero temperatures to be inevitable – perhaps happening Sunday, perhaps Monday – there will be one last cold spell before that can happen.
An extreme cold warning was issued Wednesday morning for Huron-Perth, Grey-Bruce and northern Wellington County including Mount Forest and Arthur.
In those areas, wind chill values are expected to drop to -30 Wednesday night.
Thursday is expected to be another cool, windy day in those regions, with forecast highs of -12 C (-11 C in northern Wellington County) and wind chill values right around the -30 mark.
Outside of those areas, wind chill may fall just short of the warning criteria – but that doesn’t mean it won’t be cold.
Environment Canada is calling for temperatures to drop to -19 C (wind chill -28) in Oxford-Brant, and -20 C (wind chill -29) in Waterloo Region and the Guelph area.
Forecast highs for Thursday are -8 C (wind chill -28) in Brant County, -10 C (wind chill -29) in Waterloo Region and southern Wellington County, and -11 C (wind chill -28) in Oxford County.
